


Hiding Scars

by QueenofWitchBlood



Category: One Piece
Genre: AHAHAHA, M/M, PTSD-ish?, i'm still fairly new so please, take care of me?, warning: some psychological and physical damage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-10
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-17 06:41:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3519230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofWitchBlood/pseuds/QueenofWitchBlood
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes Usopp wakes up with a sinking feeling in the middle of his chest and a burning in his scars.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hiding Scars

Ever since leaving his island and rejoining his crew, Usopp had felt this weightlessness in his chest. Smiles and laughter came easier now when he wasn't in constant danger of being swallowed alive and having people he could trust to watch his back had made him relax more. He'd missed them, he realised, missed the way this crazy crew interacted with one another and kept each other safe.

He'd missed Zoro with his training and sword skills, Luffy with his unending appetite, Nami with her frightening calm, Robin's books and secret smiles, Chopper's easy going nature, Franky and Brook too.

He'd missed Sanji the most. 

It was expected, after all, and Usopp had been so glad that nothing had really changed too much while he'd been alone. He was glad Sanji had welcomed him back easily and they'd fallen into their previous rhythms and attitude towards one another. Usopp had missed the late nights and the soft, secret kisses when no one looked, even though it wasn't a secret. He'd missed Sanji's food and he'd missed Sanji's smiles, even those ridiculous eyebrows. 

But, of course, he'd missed them all. The easy arguments, the laughter, the adventure.

But sometimes, when the others were too busy bickering, Usopp would go quiet and that creeping sense of dread snuck up inside him. The fear that this, all of this, was just a dream that Usopp had made up in his feverish and half-feral mind and that he, in actuality, was still stuck on that godforsaken island.

Too many nights Usopp awoke with his heart thudding painfully in his throat and the desperate urge to run coiling in his muscles, tensing them as he surreptitiously reached for his sling shot. And as he'd sit in the dark and stare, blood rushing in his ears as he tried to calm down, he swore he could just make out the silhouette of the shack he'd built on his island, the one he knew would be swallowed up sooner than later and panic would squeeze his throat tight.

On those nights he'd stumble into the kitchen, find that small corner between the cupboards and the stove and squeeze himself in there, boxing himself in. 

Staying in cramped spaces on the island had kept him alive, had kept him safe during the evenings where he was too tired to keep his weary eyes open and he'd sleep fitfully. Having that familiar cramped sensation pressing into him from all sides helped him calm down and doze off until Sanji entered the kitchen to start breakfast. The first time he'd been caught, the blond man had yelled at him about stealing food and Usopp had only listened to half of it before pulling his lover down and giving him an apologetic kiss and said "I won't do it again, don't worry."

So when he did it time and time again, it had become an unspoken rule that Sanji wouldn't try to pry into the reason for Usopp's strange habit.

Much like his scars.

Usopp was surprised that none of the crew had bothered to ask. Oh sure, he'd seen curious looks from Nami, Zoro and Chopper, but they'd made him uncomfortable so whenever he saw any of them eyeing his scars, he'd excuse himself into his office.

No one except Sanji knew how deep the scars truly went. None had traced the jagged claw marks that raked over his back or gently nibbled the small bite scars on his legs. Sanji was the one to kiss his calloused and weary hands and to grip them tightly when they were together in private. Sanji knew about the scar on the back of his neck, usually hidden by Usopp's thick and curly hair, had traced the dead bundle of nerves and skin softly from time to time, but he'd never asked about it.

Sanji just... accepted it. All of it. And Usopp was grateful.

Maybe one day he'd be courageous enough to tell the other what had happened to him on that island. And he knew that when that day came, Sanji would believe every word he said.


End file.
